Biography:
Maurice Levasseur is a professor in oceanography at Laval University, Quebec,
Canada. He worked as a researcher and head of the Primary Productivity Section for
the Department of Fisheries and Oceans before moving to Université Laval to hold the
Canada Research Chair on Ocean Biogeochemistry and Climate. Maurice's main interest focuses on the interactions between the oceans
and the atmosphere, including the impact of dust and ash deposition on plankton
ecosystems and their capacity to produce the climate active gas dimethylsulfide (DMS).
He has worked in different environments, including the North Atlantic, North Pacific and
Arctic Oceans. He is a member of the Scientific Steering Committee of SOLAS (Surface Ocean – Lower Atmosphere Study), and formally led the Canadian SOLAS program (2002-
2007), the Arctic SOLAS program (2008-2011) and the joint Québec-China research
program on the impact of Asian dust on the Northeast Subarctic Pacific. Maurice is currently Chair of Theme 4 Ocean-Atmosphere Interactions of the NETCARE research program.